Within the construction industry, builders and building owners are seeking cost effective roofing solutions. In particular, builders and building owners are seeking low maintenance and long lasting roofing materials that provide protection against environmental hazards, such as rain, snow, hail, wind, heat, and ultraviolet radiation. Rain, snow, hail, and wind tend to cause structural damage to roofing membranes. Heat and ultraviolet radiation tend to cause changes in roofing materials, weakening the material and making the material more susceptible to structural damage, such as damage caused by rain, snow, hail, and wind.
In addition, builders and building owners are seeking roofing materials that are tear resistant and puncture resistant. Roofing materials undergo potential tear and puncture hazards during installation and construction. In addition, roofing materials may be exposed to puncture hazards during maintenance of equipment located on the roof, such as HVAC systems. Further, roofing materials may be exposed to puncture hazards resulting from wind blown debris or hail.
Also, roofing materials are often exposed to extreme heat and solar radiation. Ultraviolet radiation may cause long-term degradation of roofing materials. On a sunny day, roofing materials may experience heat that far exceeds the ambient temperature. For example, a typical black roof may be 70° F. (21° C.) or more higher than the ambient temperature on a sunny day. Aging caused by heat or ultraviolet radiation exposure over time may reduce the tear and puncture resistance of the film. In addition, such aging may cause a change in the dimensions of the film, such as shrinking or warping.
In addition builders and building owners are seeking roofs that maintain their appearance and aesthetics over time. A roofing material that is easy to clean, or resistant to the buildup of dirt will have a better appearance and lower maintenance costs. In particular, an easy to clean or dirt resistant surface on a light color roof will allow it to maintain its color and high reflectivity for a longer period to time.
Poor resistance to tears, puncture hazards, and aging, may result in films or membranes that over time leak when exposed to rain, delaminate as a result of heating and freezing processes, or lose insulative properties. When such problems arise, the roofing materials undergo expensive maintenance or complete replacement. A short lifetime of the roofing material or an increased frequency in maintenance results in higher overall lifetime costs associated with the roofing system. As such, an improved roofing membrane would be desirable.